STATELESSNESS IN LEBANON: A NATIONAL PHENOMENON In Lebanon, the issue of statelessness is tied to the establishment of the country. As the situation evolved over the years, Lebanon consistently failed to solve the issue in its entirety. 1920 Creation of Greater Lebanon 1923 The Lausanne Treaty was signed, granting citizenship to Ottoman residents residing in the Lebanese territory First wave of statelessness 1921 After the end of WWI and the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, Greater Lebanon was declared in 1920 and placed under French Mandate. The latter addressed the complex issue of citizenship, with the French High Commissioner ordering a census as early as 1921, whose implementation affected some residents’ eligibility for citizenship 1925 1932 Second wave of statelessness 1954 Nationality was granted to 200,000 individuals, while around 60,000 others were omitted from the census and denied citizenship Lebanese nationality law was promulgated. It consecrated the principle of “jus sanguinis” (patrilineal affiliation). It was 1951 later amended several times over the years The UN Convention related to the Status of Stateless Persons was adopted; Lebanon was not yet party to it Law for documenting personal status was promulgated The UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness was adopted; Lebanon was not yet party to it 1961 © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.